Global Power Demand Anticipated to Rise Sharply by 2030, Highlighting Infrastructure Needs

Power demand worldwide will increase by more than 3.5 annually on average through the end of

the decade – important faster than total energy demand and important quicker than grid

expansion can do in numerous areas. Global electricity demand growth will rise in part

because of EVs, data centers, and AI. Industry electricity use is rising. But one driver is

important simpler There are more air conditioners turning on as the earth warms.

The IEA’s new report, Electricity 2026, analyzes global electricity markets through 2030. In its

summary, the IEA said we’re now in the “Age of Electricity.” It expects electricity demand to

grow at least 2.5 times faster than electricity grid expansion over the next half decade. And not

just in emerging markets.

Grid connection queues

The problem, the report stresses, is no longer generation. Today, it’s the grid.

Across the globe today there are more than 2,500 gigawatts (GW) of renewables, battery storage,

and other projects like electric vehicle chargers and energy-intensive ones like data centers stuck

in grid connection queues. They’re waiting years, in some cases, just to hear whether they’ll be

allowed to connect or not.

“The length of these queues, which now exceed capacity under development in many countries,

is becoming one of the main bottlenecks to the deployment of new clean renewableelectricity

integration and to meeting rising demand,” the IEA wrote.

EVs can assist with off peak charging, especially since our most popular tariff for EV’s actually

takes control of either the charger or car and charges it when best for the grid, sad to say Data

Centres are the villians.